Toothpick-holder.



G. .A. RIME. I TOOTHPIGK HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1912.

1,047,296. Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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G. A. RIME.

TOOTHPIUK HOLDER.

APPLIOATIONA FILED SEPT. 23, 1912.

Patented Dec.17,1912.

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I Fuzz-11E- UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

GILBERT A. RIME, OF N ORTHWOOD, NORTH DAKOTA.

TOOTI-IPICK-HOLDER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GILBERT A. RIME, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Northwoo-d, in the county of Grand Forks and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothpick-I-lolders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in tooth pick or match holders and distributers and relates more particularly to devices of this nature, which are designed to deliver a single match or tooth pick at a time.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tooth pick holder which shall be of extremely simple construction, cheap to manufacture and which may therefore be sold at a relatively small cost.

The invention also aims to generally improve devices of this nature to render them more attractive, efiicient and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the picker and clamping arms.

Referring in detail to the drawing 1 designates a preferably sheet metal case or container which is rectangular in cross section and closed at its upper end by a cover 2. The bottom 3 of the case is removably secured in channels 4 formed in the side walls 5 and is inclined downwardly and forwardly. The bottom is extended outwardly beyond the front wall 6 of the case and has its forward edge bent upwardly as at 7 and is transversely recessed as at 8 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. A roller 9 is journaled in the side walls 5 of the case and contacts with a delivering roller 10 also journa'led in the side Walls 5 and which is provided with a longitudinal groove 11.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. September 23, 1912.

Patented Dec. 1'2, 1912.

Serial No. 721,913.

Each of these rollers is provided on one end with a crank arm 12 by means of which the roller is rotated so as to cause a match or tooth pick to be dropped on the inclined bottom 3, the front wall 6 terminating a short distance above said bottom for the purpose of permitting the match or tooth pick to pass out of the case.

The rollers 9 and 10 are actuated by means of a vertically movable rod 13 and connecting links 14, which are connected at their upper ends to an outwardly projecting arm 15 formed on the rod 13, and which are connected at their lower ends to the crank arms 12. The operating rod 13 is provided .on its upper end with a button 16 and slides through apertured ears or lugs 17 formed integrally with one side of the casing 1. A spiral spring 18 is coiled about the rod 13 and secured thereto at its upper end be low the upper lug 17. The lower end of the spring is not attached to the rod 13 and bears against the other lug whereby the rod 13 is returned to its normal raised position after having been forced downwardly to deliver a match or tooth pick. Downwardly and inwardly inclined guide plates 19 are secured in the case 1 above the rollers 9 and 10 and serve to guide the contents of the case into proper position to be distributed by the roller 10.

In order that a match or tooth pick may be lifted from the outwardly projecting portion of the bottom 3 and carried above the top of the casing 1 within easy reach of the operators hand, I provide the picker arm 20 and clamping arm 21. The picker arm is pivot-ally secured at one end to a forwardly and laterally extending lug 22 carried by the container 1 and swings in the vertical plane which passes through the forward edge of the bottom 3. The clamping arm 21 is somewhat shorter than the picker arm 20 and is pivotally secured thereto intermediate of its ends by means of the pivotal connection 23. The outer end of the clamping arm is offset as at 24: and is conneeted by means of the angular rod 25 to the arm 15 carried by the rod 13. These arms are formed preferably of sheet metal and taper gradually toward one end, the picker arm being provided adjacent its free end with the upwardly extending portion 26 which carries an inwardly and upwardly projecting finger 27, which coacts with a similar finger 28 to lift the match or tooth pick. It will be noted that the fingers 27 and 28 are spaced some distance apart and are so positioned upon the arm 20 as to be disposed in a substantially horizontal plane when said arm is projected downwardly. The free end of the clamping arm is provided on its upper edge with an inwardly projecting finger 29 which drops within a recess 30 formed in the top edge of the arm 20,

It is thought that the construction and operation of my improved device will be clearly understood from the above description in connection with the accompanying drawings. In the operation a downward pressure upon the rod 13 will rotate the rollers 9 and 10 in such a way as to cause a match or tooth pick to drop into the longitudinal groove 11 and be dropped upon the inclined bottom 8, and roll to the lower end of the same where it will be retained by the upturned edge. The same movement of the rod 13 which rotates the rollers and delivers .the match or tooth pick will cause the arms 20 and 21 to swing downwardly and the fingers 27 and 28 carried by the picker arm 20 will pass through the recess 8 forcing the match or tooth pick which happens to be extended across said recess a slight distance inwardly. When said fingers have passed below the match or tooth pick the same will return to its position against the upturned edge and intercept the inwardly pr0- j ecting finger 29. When the pressure is released from the rod 13, the spiral spring 18 will raise the same which movement will return the rollers to their normal position and also elevate the arms 20 and 21. Since the lower end of the angular rod 25 is secured to the outer end of the arm 20 an upward movement of said rod will force the finger carried by the free end of the arm into the recess 30 and cause a match or tooth pick to be tightly clamped upon the fingers 27 and 28. The upward movement of the picker arm will carry the match or tooth pick from the inclined bottom 3 and project the same above the top 2 of the case so that it may be easily grasped.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to said construction and arrangement of parts but may make such changes as shall fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having a forwardly inclined bottom wall, said bottom wall being spaced from the lower edge of the front casing Wall and projecting outwardly beyond the same, feed rollers mounted within said casing, each provided on one end with a crank arm, a vertically movable springpressed actuating rod, links connecting said crank arms to said rod, and means also actuated by said rod whereby a match may be lifted from the forwardly projected portion of said bottom and carried above the top of the casing.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a casing provided with a forwardly inclined bottom, said bottom being projected outwardly beyond the front casing wall and spaced from the lower edge of the same, feed rollers positioned within said casing and each provided with a crank arm, a spring-pressed vertically movable actuating rod carried upon one side of said casing, links connecting said rod to said crank arms, a picker arm pivotally secured at one end to said casing, a clamping arm pivotally secured adjacent one end of said picker, and means connecting said clamping arm to said vertically movable rod, whereby the picker and clamping arms may be actuated to'lift a match from the forwardly projected portion of said body and carry the same above the top of the casing.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing having an inclined bottom projected forwardly beyond the front wall of said casing and spaced from the lower edge of the same, said forwardly" projecting portion of the bottom being'provided with an outwardly opening recess, feed rollers positioned within said casing, each being provided at one end with a crank arm, a spring-pressed vertically movable a c tuating rod mounted upon one side of said casing, means connecting said crank arms to said rod, and means whereby a match may be lifted from the forwardly pro ecting portion of said bottom and carried above the top of the casing, said means comprising a picker arm, pivotally secured at one end to said casing and provided at its other end with inwardly and upwardly projectmg fingers, a clamping arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to said picker arm and provided at its free end with an inwardly projecting finger adapted to clamp a match upon the first mentioned fingers, and an angular rod connecting the ends of said olamp- Gop'ies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

